Midwest Book Review on Raymond Luczak’s Compassion Michigan

The Literary Fiction Shelf

Raymond Luczak
Modern History Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105-9627
9781615995288, $33.95, HC, 200pp
Synopsis: Doesn’t history matter anymore? Could we still have compassion for others who don’t share our views? Encompassing some 130 years in Ironwood’s history, “Compassion, Michigan: The Ironwood Stories” by Raymond Luczak (who is a Yooper native, and either the author or the editor of 24 books — including Flannelwood) illuminates characters struggling to adapt to their circumstances starting in the present day, with its subsequent stories rolling back in time to when Ironwood was first founded.
As an author with a genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling skill set that keeps the readers total and rapt attention to what they are reading, author Raymond Lucazk has created an impressive body of work with “Compassion, Michigan: The Ironwood Stories”
These are deftly crafted and engaging stories about what does it mean to live in a small town (so laden with its glory day reminiscences) against the stark economic realities of today:
  • A Deaf woman, born into a large, hearing family, looks back on her turbulent relationship with her younger, hearing sister.
  • A gas station clerk reflects on Stella Draper, the woman who ran an ice cream parlor only to kill herself on her 33rd birthday.
  • A devout mother has a crisis of faith when her son admits that their priest molested him.
  • A bank teller, married to a soldier convicted of treason during the Korean War, gradually falls for a cafeteria worker.
  • A young transgender man, with a knack for tailoring menswear, escapes his wealthy Detroit background for a chance to live truly as himself in Ironwood.
  • When a handsome single man is attracted to her, a popular schoolteacher enters into a marriage of convenience only to wonder if she’s made the right decision.

Raymond Luczak, author of Compassion, Michigan

Critique: The twin roles of the literary short story are to entertain and to provoke thought. As an author with a genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling skill set that keeps the readers total and rapt attention to what they are reading, author Raymond Lucazk has created an impressive body of work with “Compassion, Michigan: The Ironwood Stories”. While especially and unreservedly recommended for both community and college/university library Contemporary American Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that “Compassion, Michigan: The Ironwood Stories” is also readily available in a paperback edition (9781615995271, $21.95) and in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.95).

Editorial Note: Raymond Luczak is a Yooper native, is the author and editor of 24 books, including Flannelwood.

Emma Lou the Yorkie Poo

978-1-61599-550-9
$17.95
Alphabet, Feelings and Friends
In stock
1
Product Details
UPC: 978-1-61599-550-9
Brand: Loving Healing Press
Binding: Papaerback
Edition: 1st
Author: Kim Larkins
Pages: 64

Emma Lou and Pearl return with some old and new friends in Emma Lou the Yorkie Poo: Alphabet, Feelings and Friends. Join them as they experience, through a collection of whimsical rhymes, a wide range of emotions. From A to Z, Emma Lou and Pearl invite children to bring emotions to life and provide reassurance that all feelings are expected and accepted.

To cope with our changing world during this vulnerable time in our history, children now more than ever need to feel free to express their fears, worries and joys. Alphabet, Feelings and Friends is a resource for parents, educators and mental health workers to assist children in developing meaningful discussions and insight into their present experiences.

"In a short period of time, readers--and the adults who care for them--can review the brightly colored pages of this alphabet book. This A-Z guide provides rich examples of social and emotional growth experiences for children that can be utilized at home, in the classroom or at therapy spaces." -- Theresa Fraser, CYC-P, CPT-S, RP, MA, RTC, author of We're Not All the Same, But We're Family

"Kim Larkins has written a sweet book that introduces young children to 26 emotions that align with each letter of the alphabet. She uses animal characters, rhymes and fanciful pictures as the vehicle for describing that mindful activities can influence how one feels. " -- Laurie Zelinger, PhD, ABPP, RPT-S, board certified psychologist and author, former director: New York Association for Play Therapy

"With delightful illustrations and lovely rhymes, this book is a must for any educator, parent or caregiver who wants to help children learn about and manage their emotions. Don't miss this opportunity to journey through the alphabet with delightful pups Emma Lou and Pearl and discover a little mindfulness too! " -- Kellie Doyle Bailey, MA CCC-SLP, MMT/SELI, author of Some Days I Flip My Lid, Some Nights I Flip My Lid - Learning to be Calm Cool Kids.

"This book is an interesting resource to be used with one or more children as part of an educational or therapeutic process. It supports children in start learning how to recognize and manage feelings. I appreciate the background message implying, and somehow inviting to consider, that in difficult times we are not alone and we can rely on others. The use of the rhymes makes the text involving and pleasant to be read (or listened) out loud." -- Isabella Cassina, MA, TP-S, CAGS, PhD Student, INA International Academy for Play Therapy studies and PsychoSocial Project

From Loving Healing Press www.LHPress.com

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